Call to resolve Irish-only row
The Concerned Parents of Corca Dhuibhne group, which is demanding a bilingual teaching system in the school, claimed Education Minister Mary Hanafin was “standing idly by” while pupils wishing to be taught through English continued to be disadvantaged.
The group also claimed children intending to start their second-level education in Pobalscoil Corca Dhuibhne next September were being left in the lurch by the minister.
They said the school was handing out enrolment forms for September, including a 16-page enrolment policy which, until this year, had always been a single page document.
Parents are being asked to sign a document stating they are aware they are signing up to an all-Irish school.
“This has left many parents with a dilemma. It is a case of they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t,” said Concerned Parents spokesman Johnny Ferriter yesterday.
“We would prefer if parents did not sign this policy. However, if they feel that they must, then we believe that they should insert a note with it outlining their concerns.
“There is no alternative school, not alone in the catchment area, but now not even in the next catchment area.”
Meanwhile, results of a Department of Education survey of parents and pupils to establish the level of teaching required through Irish or English in the Dingle school have not yet been announced.
Mr Ferriter said many schools throughout the country successfully operated a bilingual system.
He believed that would offer the best solution as it would allow both sets of pupils to receive a full education through their preferred language.
“We have constantly stated that this is first and foremost an education issue and not a language issue,” he said.
The Pobalscoil Corca Dhuibhne authorities have insisted that every effort is being made to facilitate pupils whose Irish is weak and say 25% of teaching in the school is through English.
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